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You see a cute, tiger-striped kitten with white paws and green eyes, just begging for your attention. Or maybe it's a handsome, tail-wagging Labrador mix who couldn't be more friendly.

If you're like most of us, falling in love with a pet is easy. And no wonder! Sharing your home with a four-legged friend can be one of life's greatest joys. Dogs, cats, and other pets give us unconditional loyalty and acceptance, provide constant companionship, and even help relieve stress after a hard day's work.

Adopting a pet, though, is a big decision. Dogs and cats are living beings who require lots of time, money, and commitment - over 15 years' worth in many cases. Pet ownership can be rewarding, but only if you think through your decision before you adopt a companion.

Things to Consider

The fact that you're thinking about adopting a pet from an animal Shelter, rescue league or humane society means you're a responsible and caring person. But before you make that final decision to bring a furry friend into your life, take a moment to think about these questions:

Why do you want a pet?

It's amazing how many people fail to ask themselves this simple question before they get a pet. Adopting a pet just because the kids have been asking for a puppy usually ends up being a big mistake. Don't forget that pets may be with you even after your children leave home.

Do you have time for a pet?

Dogs, cats, and other animal companions cannot be ignored just because you're tired or busy. They require food, water, exercise, care, and companionship every day of every year. Many animals have been given up because their owners didn't realize how much time it took to properly care for them.

Can you afford a pet?

The monetary costs of pet ownership can be quite high. Licenses, training classes, veterinary care, grooming, toys, food, kitty litter, and other expenses add up quickly.

Are you prepared to deal with special problems that only a pet can cause?

Fleas, scratched-up furniture and accidents from animals who aren't yet housetrained are just a few of the inconveniences that you will face.

Can you have a pet where you live?

Many rental communities don't allow pets, others have restrictions. Make the necessary inquiries before you bring a pet home.

Is it a good time for you to adopt a pet?

If you're a student, in the military, or travel frequently as part of your work, waiting until you settle down may be a wise choice.

Are your living arrangements suitable for the animal you have in mind?

Adopting an energetic dog or a breed that is unsuitable to share your small apartment (a Border collie), for example, is not a good idea. Choose an animal who will be comfortable in your surroundings.

Who will care for your pet if you go on vacation?

You'll need either reliable friends and neighbors, or money to pay for a boarding kennel or pet-sitting service.

Will you be a responsible pet owner?

Having your pet spayed or neutered, obeying community leash and licensing laws, and keeping identification tags on your pets are all part of being a responsible pet owner. Of course, giving your pet love, companionship, exercise, a healthy diet, and regular veterinary care are other essentials.

Finally, are you prepared to keep and care for the pet for his or her entire lifetime?

When you adopt a pet, you are making a commitment to care for the animal for his or her lifetime.

Get an Animal for Life

Sure, it's a long list of questions. But a quick stroll through the animal shelter will help you understand why answering them before you adopt a pet is so important.

Please, think before you adopt. Sharing your life with a companion animal can bring incredible rewards, but only if you're willing to make the necessary commitments of time, money, responsibility, and love—for the life of the pet.

Much of the information for this article was contributed by the Humane Society of the US.

There's a saying about old dogs and new tricks, but it's a maxim that Stump the Sussex Spaniel and his handler, Scott Sommer, obviously never heard. A cheerful 10-year-old spaniel that survived a life-threatening illness in 2005, Stump surprised dog-lovers across the world on Tuesday, Feb. 10 when he took home Best in Show at the 133rd Annual Westminster Kennel Club show and became the oldest dog ever to take top honors at the show.

Stump's win at Westminster was just as improbable as it was inspiring. In an interview with the New York Times, Sommer said he decided to bring Stump to Westminster just days before the show was set to begin and did little in the way of preparing the aged canine for competition against the world's top breeds. Stump quickly became a crowd favorite, though, and his victory is being celebrated by dog lovers - and their older canine companions - everywhere.

Stump receives the Best in Show award.
Photo: Mary Bloom © Westminster KC

At 10 years of age, Stump is far older than most show dogs, who generally compete between the ages of two and six. While the minimum age limit for competition in each breed and class varies, there is no maximum age limit for show dogs. The American Kennel Club has a special "veterans class" for dogs over seven years of age.

This wasn't Stump's first win at Westminster. In 2004, he won the sporting group at the show; however, the following year, Stump became seriously ill with a bacterial infection, and it wasn't until 2008 that he was once again in prime condition. Stump (more formally known as Ch Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee) took the Best in Show title from Uno, a beagle who last year became the first of his breed to win Best in Show.

In addition to being the oldest dog to be named Best in Show at Westminster, Stump is also the first Sussex Spaniel to take top honors. The Sussex Spaniel was one of the first breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club. A working dog originally bred to flush game out of heavy undergrowth, the breed is known for its long body, strong legs and "a rolling gait and a happy tail," according to the Westminster Kennel Club's website. These days, the Sussex is one of the rarer spaniel breeds, with only about 600 in the United States, according to the Westminster Kennel Club.

Stump is judged during the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.
Photo: Mary Bloom © Westminster KC

Now that Stump is top dog, Sommer told the New York Times the spry spaniel is definitely going to rest on his laurels and retire to Houston, Texas, where he'll "lounge around and sleep in the bed."

This disease of young large-breed dogs is often referred to as "pano." Onset of the disease occurs during the first year of life and clinical signs usually resolve by 18-20 months of age. Pano is characterized by intermittent lameness of one or more limbs. Lameness in a particular leg may persist for days, weeks or months, resolve, and then develop in another leg. All 4 legs can develop symptoms of panosteitis.

Pain due to the disease is moderate and the dog rarely is completely non-weight bearing on the affected leg or legs.

X-ray lesions are characteristic for the disease. The cause of the disease is unknown. German Shepherd dogs are commonly affected. Great Danes, Irish Setters, St. Bernards, Dobermans, Labradors and other large breeds are also commonly affected.

Panosteitis is a self-limiting disease. This means that the dog usually recovers after the disease runs its course. No specific treatment exists; however, anti-inflammatory drugs help alleviate the pain. Exercise should be restricted for severely affected animals.

A low protein diet is beneficial for some dogs with panosteitis.

Flying first class is about to get a whole lot furrier. Starting in July, Pet Airways will offer pets-only flights for companion animals traveling between five major cities: New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles. The first flight is slated to take off on July 14, and Pet Airways hopes to quickly expand its services to other "pawsengers" in other major cities.

About 76 million cats and dogs travel with their people each year, according to the American Animal Hospital Association, though relatively few travel by air. That's because air travel is often uncomfortable and stressful for pets, according to Dan Wiesel, the president and CEO of Pet Airways.

"Currently, most pets traveling by air are transported in the cargo hold and are handled as baggage," Wiesel said. "The experience is frightening to the pets and can cause severe emotional and physical harm, even death." Cargo holds in airplanes are often subject to extreme variations in temperature, according to Wiesel, and pets don't always receive the gentlest handling from airline workers.

How does a pet airline work? Pet Airways uses the Beach 1900 turbo-prop plane to transport pets. Normally able to seat 19 passengers, the Beach 1900 planes used by Pet Airways have specially-modified interiors where pets are safely secured in their carriers using a proprietary restraint system. The cabin is fully-lit and climate controlled, with plenty of fresh air circulating for pets. Pet passengers lounge in a temperature-controlled environment and are monitored throughout the flight by a specially-trained attendant. Once the plane lands, pets are taken to a special "pet lounge" where they wait for pickup.

Wiesel and his wife, Alysa Binder, got Pet Airways off the ground in part because of Zoe, their Jack Russell Terrier. Binder and Wiesel always wanted to bring Zoe with them on vacation, but they knew Zoe wasn't comfortable flying in the cargo hold of an airplane. Making other travel arrangements were logistically challenging, and the couple decided to find a way to make air travel for pets safe and comfortable.

Airfare for pets is about $150, about the same price as flying a pet on a major airline. Flights occur once a week, and reservations can be made on the Pet Airways website, and pet owners can track their pet's travel progress using Pet Airway's Track Your Pet feature. As Pet Airways expands, you may soon find your pet flying through the air with the greatest of ease!

Springtime is fast approaching and your thoughts may be turning toward landscaping your yard and planting a new garden. Whatever your plans, take care when using cocoa mulch for your garden and landscaping needs. Cocoa mulch contains cocoa bean shells that are toxic to your pet.

Cocoa mulch is hazardous to your pet in the same way that chocolate and chocolate-containing products are dangerous to your four-legged friend. Like candies and other chocolate treats, cocoa bean shells contain theobromine, a naturally occurring chemical, similar to caffeine. Because dogs metabolize theobromine slowly, it can have a serious effect on your dog’s heart, kidneys and central nervous system. (Cats are also susceptible to theobromine poisoning; however, cats are less likely to eat chocolate because they lack sweet taste receptors on their tongues.)

Cocoa mulch has a strong chocolate smell - just the sort of odor that attracts curious canine noses and appetites. Because of this, dogs may eagerly ingest cocoa mulch. The results are similar to the poisoning experienced when dogs each chocolate products; however, because cocoa mulch contains a higher concentration of theobromine, a small quantity of mulch can mean big problems for your pet.

In small quantities, a dog may experience upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea. However, dogs eating a large quantity of cocoa mulch can experience tachycardia (rapid heart rate), muscle tremors, seizures and, in rare cases, death. The severity of the reaction depends on the size and weight of the dog and the quantity of mulch eaten. According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, 2 ounces of mulch eaten by a 50-pound dog will cause upset stomach; 4.5 ounces of mulch will cause increased heart rate and 5.3 ounces will cause seizures. Any quantity of mulch more than 9 ounces can cause death, according to the ASPCA.

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center collected data on 16 cases of cocoa mulch poisoning between January 2002 and April 2003. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center studied six of those cases and found that vomiting occurred in half the cases. In 33 percent of the cases, tremors were reported and in 17 percent of the cases, rapid heartbeat, hyperactivity and diarrhea were reported. The results of the ASPCA study are located here.

Pet owners are encouraged to use other varieties of mulch for their garden and landscaping needs. Cedar chips and straw are less toxic to dogs than cocoa mulch, though some brands may contain oils and resins that can cause upset stomach in pets. If your dog has eaten cocoa bean mulch, contact your veterinarian immediately or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435. Treatment will depend on the quantity of mulch eaten, when it was eaten and the symptoms your dog is showing.

A Nevada company and the couple that owns it has pleaded guilty to distributing the tainted ingredient that lead to the 2007 nation-wide pet food recall that killed or injured thousands of pets across the country.

On June 17, Sally Qing Miller and her husband, Stephen S. Miller pleaded guilty before a federal judge to one count of selling adulterated food and one count of selling mis-branded food. The Millers own ChemNutra, Inc., which imports food ingredients from China and resells them to food manufacturers. The Millers and ChemNutra were named as co-defendants in the case.

ChemNutra and the Millers were indicted in February 2008, along with Chinese companies Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company (XAC); Suzhou Textiles, Silk, Light Industrial Products, Arts and Crafts (a Chinese export broker), for their role in distributing the tainted wheat gluten. According to the Associated Press, Chinese officials shut down XAC in 2007 following the pet food recall.

With the guilty plea, the Millers face up to two years in federal prison without parole and a fine of up to $200,000, and must pay restitution for victims of the recall, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. ChemNutra must pay a fine up to $400,000, as well as restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

"Millions of pet owners were impacted by the pet food recall in 2007," said Matt J. Whitworth, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. "The conduct of these defendants in violating federal health and safety standards caused the deaths and illness of thousands of family pets, as well as anxiety among dog and cat owners across the country and economic harm to many pet food manufacturers."

According to the Justice Department, ChemNutra imported more than 800 metric tons of wheat gluten from China. The wheat gluten was tainted with melamine, an unsafe food additive often used to increase the protein count in food components. As part of the guilty plea, the Millers and ChemNutra "admitted that melamine was substituted wholly or in part for the protein requirement of the wheat gluten so as to make it appear the wheat gluten was better or of greater value than it was ... (and) The labeling was also false and misleading because melamine was not listed on the label as an ingredient."

The wheat gluten was then sold to pet food manufacturers and used as an ingredient of hundreds of different varieties of pet foods. Canada-based pet food manufacturer Menu Foods produced most of the 60 million units of recalled pet food. In 2008, Menu Foods agreed to contribute money to a $24 million settlement fund for pet owners whose pets were sickened or killed because of the tainted food.

The melamine-tainted food caused kidney failure in dogs and cats. During the recall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received more than 17,000 complaints from pet owners. The Veterinary Information Network estimated between 2,000 and 7,000 pets died because of the contaminated food and tallied health care costs for the recall at between $2 million and $20 million.

Spaying or neutering your pets is one of the most important things a person can do to be a responsible pet owner. Every year, over 5 million pets are euthanized due to overpopulation. Besides not producing unneeded kittens or puppies, spaying a female cat or dog before the first heat reduces the risk of mammary cancer and eliminates the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer. In male cats or dogs, neutering eliminates the risk of testicular and prostate cancer. It also eliminates annoying sexual habits such as "marking" territory indoors, roaming in search of females, mounting behavior and aggression towards other male animals. Statistics show that most dog bites are inflicted by unaltered males.

During the peak of the kitten season, from late April to September, animal rescue pounds and some humane shelters kill unwanted and abandoned cats and kittens at the rate of over one per minute. Please do your part in reducing the number of unwanted pets. Have your pet spayed or neutered.

What do "spay" and "neuter" really mean?

Female dogs and cats are spayed by removing their reproductive organs, and male dogs and cats are neutered by removing their testicles. In both cases, the operation is performed while the pet is under general anesthesia. Depending on your pet’s age, size, and health, he or she may stay at the veterinarian’s office for a few hours or a few days. Depending upon the procedure, your pet may need stitches removed after a few days.

Spaying or Neutering Is Good for Your Pet

• Spaying and neutering helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives.
• Spaying and neutering can eliminate or reduce the incidence of a number of health problems that can be very difficult or expensive to treat.
• Spaying eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer, particularly when your pet is spayed before her first estrous cycle.
• Neutering eliminates testicular cancer and decreases the incidence of prostate disease.

Spaying or Neutering Is Good for You

• Spaying and neutering makes pets better, more affectionate companions.
• Neutering cats makes them less likely to spray and mark territory.
• Spaying a dog or cat eliminates her heat cycle. Twice a year, estrus lasts an average of six to 12 days in dogs. In cats, estrus lasts an average of six to seven days three or more times a year. Females in heat can cry incessantly, show nervous behavior, and attract unwanted male animals.
• Unsterilized animals often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems than do those who have been spayed or neutered.
• Spaying and neutering can make pets less likely to bite.
• Neutering makes pets less likely to roam the neighborhood, run away, or get into fights.

Spaying and Neutering Are Good for the Community

• Communities spend millions of dollars to control unwanted animals.
• Irresponsible breeding contributes to the problem of dog bites and attacks.
• Animal shelters are overburdened with surplus animals.
• Stray pets and homeless animals get into trash containers, defecate in public areas or on private lawns, and frighten or anger people who have no understanding of their misery or needs.
• Some stray animals also scare away or kill birds and wildlife.

Spay or neuter surgery carries a one-time cost that is relatively small when one considers its benefits. It’s a small price to pay for the health of your pet and the prevention of more unwanted animals.

There is almost nothing more comforting than when a cat jumps on our lap and begins to purr. Ever since the Egyptians started worshiping the cat, philosophers, scientists and cat lovers worldwide have wondered why cats purr. When we hear and feel this purring, we assume that everything is just fine with the cat. But why do cats purr? And what produces this sound?

Purring is a mystery. No one can definitively say which mechanism in a cat creates the purr. Some feline experts believe purring is due to a vibrations caused by blood passing through a large vein in the cat's chest. Yet others who have studied purring think it's due to the vibration of the vocal cords when the animal inhales and exhales.

It appears as though purring is not just limited to domestic cats. Some wild cats, such as pumas and mountain lions, are able to purr. In general, most large cats that cannot roar are able to purr. The calls of the leopard vary and include a series of harsh coughs, throaty growls, and deep, purring sounds.

It turns out that cats have special wiring traveling from the brain to the muscles in the vocal cords. Nerve signals that pass through this wiring system cause vibrations of the vocal cords. While the nerves cause the vocal cords to vibrate, the air forced through them by the diaphragm causes the musical hum. Since breathing has both inspiratory and expiratory phases, cats can purr continuously. The problem with this theory, however, is that cats continue to purr even when the nerves to the area of the vocal cords have been injured or damaged.

It is commonly believed that cats purr when content. However, cats also purr when they are severely injured, frightened or giving birth. According to some veterinarians, the original function of the purr was to enable a kitten to communicate with his mother that things are going well. A kitten is able to purr by the second day of life, and although he can't meow and nurse at the same time, he can purr and nurse.

As the cat matures, the meaning of the purr changes. Some cats purr to indicate contentment or pleasure, but badly frightened cats and severely ill cats also purr. It is not uncommon for cats to purr when they are close to death. This final purring may indicate a state of anxiety or possibly euphoria. These states have also been elucidated in terminally ill people.

Since the purr has lasted through hundreds of generations of cats, there must be a survival mechanism behind its continued existence. Researchers believe that self-healing is the survival mechanism behind the purr. There is extensive documentation that suggests that low frequencies, at low intensity, are therapeutic. These frequencies can aid bone growth, fracture healing, pain relief, tendon and muscle strength and repair, joint mobility, the reduction of swelling, and the relief of dyspnea, or breathlessness.

Animal behaviorists believe that when cats purr under stressful circumstances, they are reassuring or comforting themselves, much as humans may sing to themselves or hum when they are nervous. Frightened cats may purr to communicate submissiveness or non-aggressive intentions. A feral cat may purr to signal that he is not planning to attack and other cats need not feel threatened. Older cats may purr when they play or approach other cats, signaling that they are friendly and want to come closer.

There are many political animals in Washington, D.C., but few have been as well liked as Socks, the former First Pet who lived in the White House with President Bill Clinton and his family from 1992 to 2001. Socks' illustrious life ended on Friday, Feb. 20, when he was put to sleep following a prolonged battle with jaw cancer. Socks was 19 years old.

Socks, a black-and-white tuxedo cat, was a fixture at White House events and was often photographed sitting on President Clinton's shoulder. The Clintons adopted Socks in 1991 and he was the only First Pet until 1997, when Buddy, a Chocolate Lab, came to live in the White House. The relationship between the two First Pets was tumultuous, and after leaving office, President Clinton joked during an interview with CNN that he "did better with ... the Palestinians and Israelis" than he did keeping the peace between Socks and Buddy.

During his time in the White House, Socks was famous throughout the world and was often found hanging out in the Oval Office and the White House press briefing room. He was the subject of a book about kids' letters to presidential pets, titled "Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids' Letters to the First Pets." An animated version of Socks even guided visitors to the White House website during Clinton's term. After the Clintons left the White House, Socks moved in Betty Currie, who served as President Clinton's personal secretary during his two terms in office.

"Socks brought much happiness to Chelsea and us over the years, and enjoyment to kids and cat lovers everywhere," Bill and Hillary Clinton said in a joint statement. "We're grateful for those memories, and we especially want to thank our good friend, Betty Currie, for taking such loving care of Socks for so many years."

Not all pets are cute and cuddly and sit in your lap, but pet owners love them just the same. Snakes, iguanas, birds, hamsters, fish and others are all popular pet choices, even though they can't go for a walk in the park or come when you call. However, exotic pets may soon be scarce in the United States if Congress passes a proposed piece of legislation that would prevent "non-native" species from coming in to the U.S. and ban the sale, breeding and transporting of exotic pets in the country.

Many species of birds are considered non-native and will be affected by HR 669.

The bill, HR 669, is called the "Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Protection Act." According to the text of the bill, its aim is to "prevent the introduction and establishment of nonnative wildlife species that negatively impact the economy, environment, or other animal species' or human health, and for other purposes." The overall goal of the bill is noble enough: stopping irresponsible pet owners from keeping dangerous pets and preventing non-native species from taking over local ecosystems. However, the language of the bill is vague, and this means that traditional pets like hamsters, aquarium fish, most species of birds, and reptiles could potentially be banned under the bill. As part of the bill, substantial scientific proof would have to be provided before a non-native animal could be imported into the U.S., bred or transported across state lines.

Under the current laws in place, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must demonstrate that a species can cause harm to humans, local ecosystems and the welfare of other wildlife resources in the U.S. If HR 669 is passed, the Fish and Wildlife Service would be required to create two lists - an "approved list," for species judged as harmless, and an "unapproved list," for species judged harmful. When examining the potential "negative impact" a species might pose, HR 669 judges the animal in the context of the whole country. For instance, a reptile species that might negatively impact the local ecosystem in southern Florida but nowhere else would nonetheless be banned throughout the country. Cats, dogs, farm animals and some rabbits are included in the list of species grandfathered in under the provisions of the bill. Other species would be required to undergo a rigorous screening process in order to prove they could not potentially have any sort of negative impact on their surroundings. Pet owners already caring for exotic pets would not have to give up their pets; however, the pets could not be sold or transported across state lines.

Pets such as dragons and iguanas could be banned under HR 669.

If passed, the bill will have a far-reaching impact on pet owners, breeders, veterinarians, pet supply retailers, and a number of other groups, including the New England Aquarium. Already, pet owners, have started to band together in opposition to HR 669. The website http://nohr669.com declared April 20 as "National NO HR 669 Call-In Day" and encouraged all animal lovers to call their Congressperson and declare opposition to the bill. The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), a trade organization comprised of retailers, distributors, manufacturers, hobby groups and other animal-related businesses, has also mounted a strong opposition to HR 669.

How HR 669 will fare in Congress remains to be seen. The bill is under review by the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife and a hearing is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 23. You can track the progress of the bill by clicking here.